{"id":2420,"date":"2019-01-24T02:09:33","date_gmt":"2019-01-24T07:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.woodturningpens.com\/?p=2420"},"modified":"2019-01-26T23:10:08","modified_gmt":"2019-01-27T04:10:08","slug":"cedar-of-lebanon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.woodturningpens.com\/cedar-of-lebanon\/","title":{"rendered":"Cedar of Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Geographic Distribution:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The wood that we know as Cedar of Lebanon is known to botanists as Cedrus libani<\/em>.<\/p>\n

As the common and botanical names imply, C. libani<\/em> is native to the eastern Mediterranean basin, including Lebanon but also extreme western Syria and Turkey.  C. libani<\/em> is generally a high altitude tree preferring elevations of 4,300 to 9,800 feet although it can occur as low as 1,300 feet in parts of Turkey.  C. libani<\/em> is found nowhere else in the world although a subspecies can be found on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.<\/p>\n

\"Distribution

Distribution of Cedrus libani<\/p><\/div>\n

For the sake of simplicity, I will refer to C. libani <\/em>from this point forward simply as Cedar of Lebanon.<\/p>\n

General Characteristics:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The heartwood of the Cedar of Lebanon tends to be of a cream color that can vary to a darker appearance of a light reddish brown color.  The sapwood, which is very narrow and not much seen, is a pale yellowish white color.<\/p>\n

The grain of the Cedar of Lebanon is generally straight, however, as is common with species in the Cedrus<\/em> genus, knots and bark inclusions are common and may cause irregularities in the grain.<\/p>\n

Cedar of Lebanon features a medium to coarse texture that demonstrates and moderate natural luster.<\/p>\n

As is true of other Cedrus<\/em> species, Cedar of Lebanon is highly rot resistant and is rated as durable.  In addition, Cedar of Lebanon is generally resistant to insect attacks.Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable, and generally resistant to insect attack.<\/p>\n

Working Characteristics:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cedar of Lebanon is quite soft, rating only 3,670 N on the Janka scale.  For comparison, White Oak (Quercus alba<\/em>) rates 5,990 N while a very hard wood such as Hickory (Carya ovata<\/em>) rates 8,360 N.<\/p>\n

Because the Cedar of Lebanon wood is soft, it is quite easy to work with both hand and machine powered tools.  However, those previously mentioned knots and bark inclusions can cause difficulties, especially with machine tools.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for our purposes, Cedar of Lebanon turns, glues and finishes well.<\/p>\n

Cedar of Lebanon does not smell like Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana<\/em>), but it does have a delightfully spicy and sweet odor of its own that is quite unlike any other wood scent.  Most people find it quite pleasing, so much so in fact that the scent extracts from the wood, cones, and needles are a major commodity derived from the Cedar of Lebanon trees.  It is possible to derive the extract from small branches such that the tree itself is not damaged.  This extract is used in the manufacture of some perfumes.<\/p>\n

\"Cedar

Cedar of Lebanon Male Cone<\/p><\/div>\n

Pricing and Availability:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cedar of Lebanon is almost impossible to find except occasionally through specialist hobby mills.  Cedar of Lebanon has not been commercially harvested for many years and it is considered a threatened species.  Cedar of Lebanon has, however, been widely planted as an ornamental tree and the limited stocks that are available come from decorative trees that have been removed for one reason or another.<\/p>\n

I obtained my blank from Got Wood?<\/a>, a North Carolina retailer with whom I have done a fair amount of business.  I have always been pleased with their products.  While they do not at this time stock any Cedar of Lebanon, it is always worth checking back now and again as their stock does change as availability allows.<\/p>\n

I purchased my blanks in 2016.  At that time I paid $13.89 for a 10” x 2” platter blank and $27.22 for a 14” x 2” platter blank.  For these sizes, these prices were quite reasonable.<\/p>\n

In this blog, I almost always recommend several other vendors with whom I have done considerable business and in whom I have great confidence.  These vendors are: West Penn Hardwoods<\/a>, Bell Forest Products<\/a>, NC Wood<\/a>, and WoodTurningz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, of these fine vendors none are currently selling Cedar of Lebanon.<\/p>\n

\"Mature

Mature Cedar of Lebanon<\/p><\/div>\n

Woodfinder<\/a> is an excellent website that is dedicated to advertising wood dealers.  In your search for Cedar of Lebanon, this can be an invaluable resource provided you use multiple search terms to capture all the possible listings.  I can’t speak to the quality of any of the listed dealers, but Woodfinder does have the advantage of allowing searches to be performed based on location which might allow an interested buyer to visit a listed wood dealer in person to hand pick pieces at a comfortable price.<\/p>\n

A significant problem with using Woodfinder is that many vendors are listed for woods that, upon further investigation, they do not offer.  I don’t know if perhaps once they did and they didn’t update their listings or if some vendors use a standardized list of woods that include most everything conceivable with the idea that once you land on their page you will find something you want to buy even if you didn’t know it beforehand.  It happens to me all the time!<\/p>\n

Uses:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cedar of Lebanon finds use as a wood for veneers, cabinetry, building construction, and turned objects.<\/p>\n

However, the Cedar of Lebanon trees are widely planted as ornamental trees in parks and gardens, both public and private.  In fact, the earliest known recorded existence of a Cedar of Lebanon tree in the United Kingdom was 1662.  Cedar of Lebanon trees are a well-known feature of London’s Highgate Cemetery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Cedar

Cedar of Lebanon Needles<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition, the collection of the resin and essential oil for use in perfume making, as previously mentioned, is a highly valued use of the Cedar of Lebanon tree.<\/p>\n

Sustainability:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cedar of Lebanon is not listed as being in any way threatened or endangered by the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices<\/a> but it does appear on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List<\/a>.  It is listed as vulnerable primarily due to a total area of occupancy of less than 770 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) and a severely fragmented population.<\/p>\n

To the best of my knowledge, Cedar of Lebanon is not subject to any special restrictions by any United States government agency.<\/p>\n

I realize that inherent in working with wood is the killing of a part of the natural world that may be slow to return and if I become deeply concerned about this fact, I will have to find a new hobby.  I hope that such a time does not come to pass or at least not any time soon.  In part because I am concerned about legally and responsibly obtained wood, I am reluctant to buy from sellers outside of well-established and known vendors.  I am highly unlikely, for example, to purchase any wood from auction sites, such as Ebay, because of uncertain sourcing and documentation, as well as the potential, even likelihood, of material being misidentified in order to achieve a higher selling price.<\/p>\n

However, due to the commercial scarcity of some domestic woods, resorting to auction sites such as Ebay or Etsy may be the only way to obtain some desirable domestic, or in some cases exotic imported, species that are not routinely commercially harvested.  The potential risks of buying in these marketplaces have to be balanced against the desire to work with a specific species of wood.  That is inherently an individual decision.<\/p>\n

I also realize that many, if not most, wood workers do not have endangered species lists memorized, therefore I think it worthwhile and important to do even a small amount of research before purchasing any lumber, domestic as well as imported, to be certain of the potential impact you are having, even in a small way, on threatened or endangered populations.  This information is easy to come by and takes only minutes to locate through any Internet search engine, including those you can access on your phone as you are standing in the lumber yard or store.  Unfortunately, you simply cannot count on a vendor to tell you a product they are selling is endangered.<\/p>\n

Health Hazards:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Cedar of Lebanon has been reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation, as well as runny nose and asthma-like symptoms. In addition, the long-term negative effects of exposure to sawdust of any species are well documented.<\/p>\n

It is important to remember that although many people may, or may not, be sensitive to any given wood, the only experience that truly counts is your own, so use reported side effects as guidance but not as a substitute for cautious and safe practices.<\/p>\n

Appropriate protective equipment is therefore always recommended when working with this, or any other, wood, exotic or domestic, unless you have worked with the species before and are certain you are not sensitive to it.<\/p>\n

Complete information about health hazards<\/a> associated with a wide variety of exotic hardwoods is available from The Wood Database<\/a>.  Additional information about how to best use a dust collection system and personal protective equipment, such as respirators, can also be found through this excellent and comprehensive resource<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, I experienced no negative side effects when working with Cedar of Lebanon.<\/p>\n

My Personal Experiences:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To date I own a total of three Cedar of Lebanon blanks and I have only turned one of them.  The finished Cedar of Lebanon platter measures 9 ¾” x 1 ¾”.<\/p>\n

The Cedar of Lebanon blank had warped slightly during drying so I had my Dad run it through the joiner and the planer to provide flat and parallel surfaces for mounting.  I suspect that the wood wasn’t completely dry because it moved a bit more in the time between machining and turning it.<\/p>\n

As I noted, the wood is fairly soft so it cut very quickly, and much to my surprise for such a soft wood, fairly cleanly on the cut surface although splintery towards the edges of the blank.<\/p>\n

The smell was, well, delicious.  I can’t really describe it as it smells like nothing else I have ever come in contact with, but I would go with sweet and yet spicy.  Even the finished platter still retains a hint of the fragrance.<\/p>\n

\"Cedar

Cedar of Lebanon Platter Interior<\/p><\/div>\n

I did find the end grain turning necessary to make the divot for the chuck mounting was a bit more difficult than I expected from a soft wood.<\/p>\n

Overall the Cedar of Lebanon blank turned quite easily and quickly.  The entire process took less than two hours.<\/p>\n

I did notice some differences in the hardness of different parts of the wood on the flat surface of the rear.  The darker streaks are slightly harder and therefore don’t sand as quickly creating very slight ridges in the finished piece.  These ridges can’t be seen but they can be felt with the fingertips.<\/p>\n

All cuts were made with my Easy Wood Tools<\/a> cutters.  The reversed blank was held in a Nova Chuck<\/a>.  All sanding was done with Green Wave sanding pads from Packard Woodworks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The platter was finished with ShellaWax<\/a> from Australia.<\/p>\n

\"Cedar

Cedar of Lebanon Platter Reverse S<\/p><\/div>\n

While the platter was easy to make I can’t say that I was hugely impressed with Cedar of Lebanon as a turning wood.  The finished appearance is rather plain and in many ways reminds me of a type of pine.  I have worked with so many truly striking woods in the past, and I have dozens of additional exotic and domestic woods yet to work with, that I don’t think I would go out of my way to find more Cedar of Lebanon.  I wanted to work with it for the novelty of the wood and because I found it in desirable sizes, but not that have the experience I think I would rather reserve my turning time for more interesting and attractive woods.  But my opinion in the matter should not dissuade interested persons from trying Cedar of Lebanon for themselves.<\/p>\n

As always, I wish all my readers a great experience in whatever their wood working interests happen to be and to those who like working with lathes especially, do a good turn today!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cedar of Lebanon blank had warped slightly during drying so I had my Dad run it through the joiner and the planer to provide flat and parallel surfaces for mounting.\u00a0 I suspect that the wood wasn\u2019t completely dry because it moved a bit more in the time between machining and turning it.<\/p>\n

As I noted, the wood is fairly soft so it cut very quickly, and much to my surprise for such a soft wood, fairly cleanly on the cut surface although splintery towards the edges of the blank.<\/p>\n

The smell was, well, delicious.\u00a0 I can\u2019t really describe it as it smells like nothing else I have ever come in contact with, but I would go with sweet and yet spicy.\u00a0 Even the finished platter still retains a hint of the fragrance.<\/p>\n

I did find the end grain turning necessary to make the divot for the chuck mounting was a bit more difficult than I expected from a soft wood.<\/p>\n

Overall the Cedar of Lebanon blank turned quite easily and quickly.\u00a0 The entire process took less than two hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":2423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[135,128,137,129,138,139,130],"tags":[154,168,171,181,183,187,200,217,239,240,241,247,252],"yoast_head":"\nCedar of Lebanon - Wood Turning Pens ..<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Cedar of Lebanon is almost mythical. 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